Dancing on the Edge of the Abyss
by arsvidendi
Summary: AU The Republic didn't crumble under the Separatists' attacks, the wounds of war are still fresh. But there are new horrors to be faced, plots to be unveiled that threaten the principles of Jedi Order-and leave deep gashes in the very fabric of the Force
1. The Seed has been Sown

_Author's Note: This is my first story, so please review. I prefer constructive criticism over _

_remarks like "Great!" or "Sucks!", but they're still fine ;) I read lots, but I have to admit _

_that I hardly ever read fictional texts, so my writing style might not be particularly refined. _

_Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this piece of fan fiction nevertheless. _

_Important: This is not supposed to be a mere Episode III AU fic. The first chapters set the _

_stage, and the characters we are all familiar with will appear quite frequently but that _

_doesn't mean that this story is about Anakin (yet I am convinced that fans of him, Obi-Wan or _

_Padmé will like what I have in store for them)._

_Most characters, events and venues belong to George Lucas. A few of the lines are slightly _

_altered lines taken from Episode III._

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Telepathic communication

_**The road not taken**_

**Chapter 1 - The Seed has been Sown**

"What have I done?" Shadows. Red walls. A face, a ghostly mask.

"A Sith Lord?" Impossible.

"...to save Padmé..." Pain, hidden for a long time, finally released.

"Rise, Lord Vader" No reluctance. Satisfaction.

"Save me? From what?" The voice was high-pitched.

"Killing younglings..."

"Your new Empire?" Numbing disappointment.

"You're going down a path I cannot follow!"

"He's the father, isn't he? I'm so sorry."

"I hate you!" Genuine hatred.

"I failed him." A blur of agony.

"After all, isn't he the Chosen One?" Delusion.

And then darkness took over again.

-----

Drenched in sweat, she awoke. Every fibre of her body was aching. Her thoughts were swirling

around, fragmented, like debris from an explosion. Heart racing, she moved her limbs

cautiously, as if she was lying on shards of glass. When her feet touched the cold tiles, a

shudder went through her whole body. She walked to the sink. A little cold water running over her

wrists would help her feel better, help her shake off the agonizing feeling the dream had given

her. Casually, she stretched out her hand, using the force to summon her weapon. The sensation

of feeling the cool metal on her skin has a soothing effect. The light radiating from her sabre

drenched the room in yellow, which made her skin appear deathly pale. 'I look like a

Rattataki', she thought. The elaborate tattooed markings on her chin and cheeks distinguished

her from members of that race, though.

She had started having visions from time to time shortly after being brought to the temple as an infant.

Normally, they never repeated themselves. However, his one had. Only few of them had come to

pass, but whether the images she'd seen manifested themselves in reality couldn't be predicted.

This was an aspect that had always terrified her.

The gruesome pictures were beginning to fade from her mind, allowing her to meditate.

'It mustn't become true. I...I will not allow it.' Had the glimpses of the future always been as horrific, as tantalizing?

In the beginning, they had been innocent, sometimes startling, but never

nightmares about to become true. When her life was turned upside-down by...by events that she

dare not remember, something had changed, during these darkest hours of her life - she had

changed, in a way she couldn't accept. Her comlink hummed to life.

"Master Juunthar?" "Could you procure a means of transport? I need to leave for Coruscant

immediately." "Yes, ma'am. I'll will contact you as soon as the ship is ready."

-----

The Jedi temple was gleaming in the bright sunlight. It was home to so many people - whose

lives might end soon? Was it a matter of months? Days? Or possibly hours? Radha Juunthar didn't know the answer.

Walking down a corridor in the mighty building, she allowed her thoughts to wander. She heard footsteps behind her.

A familiar presence. With a smile on her lips, she turned around. "Master Windu. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Indeed. How long has it been?" "Almost two years." "I assume you have successfully finished your mission in the Tredan system?"

"Yes. I was just about to prepare a report for the council." "A meeting has been scheduled for noon. I am on my way there."

"May I accompany you?" "Of course." He sighed. "There will be at least

some good news to discuss for a change." Their eyes met. "We're at war after all. There are

always setbacks." "I hope your arrival is a good sign. Your abilities as a general might give

us an edge over our enemies." The female Jedi laughed mirthlessly. "I hope so too." Secretly,

she wished this excruciatingly light-hearted conversation would be over soon.

They entered the council chamber together. Juunthar acknowledged the other masters with a deep

bow. She doubted that her mission report would do much to elevate the spirits of those present,

as it had nothing to do with the war. When the slender Mirialan had finished relating the

events that had taken place on Tredan-E, Master Yoda addressed her. "Glad to hear of your

success, we are. Someone with your experience is needed. Expected to lead a division of clones

you are. Go to the Outer Rim you will, after Master Kenobi's return from the Utapau system."

"Yes, Master Yoda. I will get ready immediately." "Good. It is settled then. You're dismissed."

The woman waited outside for the meeting to end.

"Master Skywalker! May I have a word?" "Sure. What is it?" "It truly is an extraordinary feat

for one so young to be on the Council. I was quite astounded when I learned that you had been

appointed..." Skywalker seemed to suppress a snort. "But I am not a master." His remark had

taken the Mirialan aback. "Well, I'm a confident that you'll soon be granted the rank of

master. Besides, since when do titles matter?" The young man smirked. "Now I am the one who's

surprised. Is it possible that you're really this humble about your own rank?" "Certainly. By

the way, what did you do you earn this honour?" 'He doesn't seem to consider it an honour.

Alienation nests deeply in his soul already.' Skywalker sighed. "I'm Palpatine's

representative." 'This isn't good. Not at all.' "The Chancellor?!" The Knight looked away,

stung. 'Now she doesn't trust me either. The Order is becoming more and more corrupted. Even

her, who's spent so much time away from the Temple...'

"Excuse me, Master Juunthar, I need to see somebody." "I understand." His abrupt departure. His

hurt expression at the mention of Palpatine. She gazed after Skywalker as he disappeared in the

distance. None of this spelled hope. The seed had already been sown.


	2. Not Looking Back

**Chapter 2 - Not Looking Back**

Hours passed. Would there be a way to avoid the seemingly inevitable? Can one person change the

fate of the galaxy? Her own? Could it be acting upon the vision that would eventually cause the

fall of the Jedi? Given this insecurity, did she even have the right to interfere? Would what she

feared really come to pass? Juunthar left her quarters in a hurry, without knowing where to go.

The Force had betrayed her before. Everyone had, even her master. How could she trust herself?

-----

Skywalker ran into the hangar. Feeling the knight's agitation, Mace Windu spun around on the spot.

"What is it, Skywalker? We are in a hurry. We have just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed

General Grievous. We are on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate."

"He won't give up his power." Hesitation. "I've just learned a terrible truth. I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord."

"A Sith Lord? How do you know this? " Windu's voice was drenched with disbelief.

"He is the one we have been looking for. He knows the ways of the Force. He...he has been

trained to use the dark side. I am absolutely sure."

"Then our worst fears have been realized. We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to

survive."

"Master, the Chancellor is very powerful. You will need my help if you are going to arrest

him." A desperate attempt to stay in control of the situation. A futile effort.

"For your own good, stay out of this affair. I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young

Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgement."

Fear can cause rash decision making based on emotion rather than logic. Emotion...emotional

attachment wasn't the Jedi way. Then again, none of this was.

"I must go, Master." 'Use my knowledge, I beg you... The power to save Padme.' These words

resonated in his head like a ghostly echo.

"No. If what you told me is true, you will have gained my trust, but for now remain here."

Trust! 'Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi Council!' As if...

Trust is a fragile thing.

-----

Tracking Skywalker down had not been difficult. Barely suppressing his feelings, he was

radiating in the Force, almost visibly, like a gloomy kaleidoscope. Quietly, she entered the

Council chamber. The troubled young man stood with his back to the door, watching the sun set

over Coruscant. Tears gleamed in his eyes.

"Skywalker." He didn't move. "Leave." His voice was cold.

"No." Juunthar took a step forward. "I cannot possibly leave you alone with your turmoil." Not

taking his eyes of the magnificent buildings whose surfaces reflected the crimson light, he

collapsed into one of the chairs.

"What are you talking about?" She knelt next to him.

"Listen to me. I sense your pain. The decision you're about to take...She wouldn't want this."

"Who?" He sounded alarmed.

"Do not try to deceive me, Skywalker. For far too long, you have deceived yourself and everyone

around you. Even Master Kenobi is oblivious. I have to admit, I'm impressed."

Between gritted teeth, he hissed, "You have no idea."

"Unfortunately, I do. I know of your relationship with Senator Amidala, of her pregnancy, your

nightmares."

"Will you report me to the Council?" A threat was creeping into his voice.

"No. And I'm sure Kenobi wouldn't have reported you, either, if you'd shared this piece of

information with him."

"Rubbish! Leave him out of this." Awkward silence. Then he blurted out: "You don't understand!" He was at the verge of a breakdown. "I...I need to save Padmé!"

"And by attempting to do so, you will lose her for good."

"What do you know?"

"I had visions, just like you. I didn't see her die in childbirth, though. I saw your future.

Becoming a Sith Lord. Killing children. Hurting Sen- Padmé."

"That's impossible. I would never..."

"Yet you are about to run to Palpatine's office to make sure the secrets of the Sith don't die

with him."

"I am not the Jedi I should be- I'm not strong enough."

"I'm sure she doesn't need you to save her. It's your love that..."

"My love won't save her!"

"But your hatred will?"

He buried his face in his hands. Juunthar leaned over and lightly touched his shoulder.

Skywalker jerked away from her and rushed out of the room, not looking back.

_I won't glance behind_

_I've got nothing but a future in my mind_

_you are in my mind_

_you are in my mind_

_you are in my mind_

(The Secret, Not Looking Back)


	3. On the Verge of the Future

**Chapter 3 - On the Verge of the Future **

Anakin Skywalker jumped out of the elevator. Rushing into the Chancellor's office, his eyes

fell on the corpses of three Jedi masters. He suppressed a shudder. He was in a trance-like

state, hearing Mace Windu's voice as if from a distance.

"You are under arrest, My Lord."

Palpatine spotted the young Jedi. "Anakin! I told you it would come to this. I was right. The

Jedi are taking over."

"You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the

Republic is over...you have lost...", Windu spat.

"No! No! You will die!" The Force Lightening shooting from the hands of the Sith blinded

Skywalker temporarily. '...save Padmé...your hatred can't save her...I beg you...save

her...learn to let go...how could possibly let his wife go...she needs me...'

"Come to your senses, boy." Nothing made sense any more. Had he really been betrayed by the

Jedi? Had Palpatine orchestrated all of this from the very beginning?

"You can't kill him, Master. He must stand trial." Had Palpatine's lips just curled into a

malicious smile? Anakin hesitated.

The Sith Lord, exhausted from the lightening being reflected back at him, was growing

impatient.

"I have the power to save the one you love. To save Padmé."

Upon hearing the name of his wife, something in Anakin's soul snapped, shattering his pain, his

doubts. 'How dare he speak of love, he is a Sith Lord!'

"I will not join you!" Seeing that the situation wasn't going to plan, Sidious increased the

intensity of the lightening, pushing Windu away from him. The energy wasn't directed back at

him any more, which gave him the opportunity to summon one of lightsabres lying on the floor of

his office.

The green blade clashed against Windu's dark violet one. Sidious sidestepped so that his

opponent's attack cut through empty space. In one swift movement, he knocked the weapon out of

Windu's hand and pushed him over the edge, into the precipice.

"Power! Unlimited power!" With a smug expression on his face, Sidious turned around, only to

find Anakin staring in horror at the scene.

"You monster!" With that, the young man ignited his own sabre and charged at Sidious, who

parried the attack, lightsabres locking together. "I am your pathway to power! Become my

apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force."

"Never!" Anakin yelled and leaped back to have space for movement.

Sidious got into attack stance. "So be it."


	4. Shades of Grey

**Chapter 4 - Shades of Grey**

_Six months later..._

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi left the grey administration building of the municipality

Sareyt on Hedola, relief visible on their faces.

"I'm glad this is over. It's impossible to negotiate with Hedolans." "I told you so, Obi-Wan."

The whizzing of the cars, the clanging sounds of the vendors scuffling past them were drowning

out his words. Finally, the negotiations had been successful, enabling them to leave the planet

behind, the capital city's uniform grey façades, the painfully cold atmosphere, the

unpredictable mood swings of its inhabitants. They turned into a smaller alley that was even

dirtier than the main street.

"Don't be so coy," a male voice commanded harshly in the darkness. A scantily dressed girl

climbed over a unhinged door, whose paint was coming off in large flakes, and stood in front of

the two Jedi. "I am at your service, gentlemen. Only five credits." She smiled coquettish.

The two men stopped in their tracks, unsure how to react to the situation.

A mere child! I can't believe she has to prostitute herself, for the price of a jug of water

I know. But there's nothing we can do. She is not the only one. We will only endanger the

outcome of our mission.

"Please to not hesitate, sir. I am certain your wishes will be fulfilled-"

"We have no intention of accepting this offer. Little one, you shouldn't be doing this." She

looked away, backing off slightly.

A tall man stepped out of the darkness. "Sirs, I am sure you'll reconsider as soon as you've

learned her qualities. Let me-"

"Leave her alone!" Anakin could hardly control his temper.

"She works for me, you have no right to interfere." Anakin reached for his sabre, bis his

former master shoved his hand away. He took a step forward, raising his hand and flicking in

front of the stranger's face. "You have no business here. You will leave now." The Hedolan's

eyes widened. With a start, he turned around and ran along the alley, disappearing round a

corner. A few seconds later, the petite girl scuttled off in a hurry. "Great. We can't just

confine her to this fate." "If Hedola joins the Republic, the Senate will have political

leverage over them and ban these practices for good. Patience, Anakin." "But-" Suddenly, Obi-

Wan indicated him to be quiet, closing his eyes in an effort to calm his mind. "Did you sense

it too?" "A fluctuation in the force." "It's quite close to our position." "Let's find out what

this is about."

-----

The force had lead them to a dented metal door in a seemingly desolate backyard. When Obi-Wan

knocked, a dishevelled-looking woman with bright blue hair opened. Her excessive make-up

betrayed her bland features. "You're quite early. Come in. I'm Madame Jeralla. The room's

upstairs." Her tight dress revealed every curve as she walked up the stairs, her hips swinging

seductively. "Since there are two of you, I will charge extra. But you won't regret it", she

said over her shoulder. She unlocked a second door and pointed inside. "Make yourself

comfortable." "Actually, we are not here to,um, employ your services."

"Ah. Who are you, then?" "We are Jedi. We-"

"Jedi, huh? What a pity. That would have been a first." Obi-Wan couldn't suppress a smile. His

former padawan shot him a disconcerted glance. "Madam, we are here because we felt a

disturbance in the Force. It is possible that there is a force-sensitive individual nearby." "No

clue what you're talking about, boy, I'm not familiar with that Force mumbo-jumbo of yours."

She jerked her head towards the door. "Girl, come over here! We have visitors." A short girl

came dashing up the stairs and bolted through the half-opened door. "Have you done the washing

yet?" "Mistress, I have just finished boiling the laundry." She was barefooted, her face

reddened and shining with sweat, her wide clothes and dark hair wet from steam. "Shall I

prepare some tea for the guests before proceeding?" Jeralla gave a curt nod and waved her away.

"That wasn't necessary at all." "Well, I have an inkling this might take longer than expected,

so we better discuss this in a more pleasant setting. Don't take too long though, or I will

have to charge you." "I'll try to make this short." Anakin laughed. The door opened again when

the girl entered the room, balancing a heavy tray with three cups. The Jedi eyed the brownish

concoction cautiously as she placed the cups on the wobbly table and, with a quick bow, left

for the kitchen. "Madam, may I have a word with the girl?" Jeralla looked alarmed. "Look, if

you're after pretty young Athreli girls, you should find plenty on the streets. She is just my

servant." "Madam, we have nothing sinister in mind. I think she is the force-sensitive we are

looking for." An exasperated sigh. "Go, talk to her. Whatever. And you-" she turned to Obi-Wan

"will explain to me what all this is about."

-----

She didn't look exhausted, but it was clear that she resigned herself to her work with little

pleasure, yet a high level of dedication. "Sir, is everything alright? Is something wrong with

the tea?" When she looked up at him, Skywalker noticed how serious her face was, her tired eyes

made her appear several years older than she probably was. All traces of childhood had

vanished. "I just wanted to have a little chat with you." "Alright, sir." She looked vaguely

frightened. "I'm Anakin Skywalker. What's your name?" "Kaliya. You are a Jedi, aren't you? I

overheard you and Mistress Jeralla talking." "That's right. Do you know who the Jedi are?" "I

don't know much 'bout them. We are too far away from the Core planets, we rarely get news of

any current affairs." "How old are you?" "Eight." 'Barely older than the street girl we met

earlier...' "Why do you work for Jeralla?" "She is very kind, gave me work and a shelter when I

came to the city." "What do you do when you're not working?" "Um, apart from sleeping? I don't

get much time off, but I usually spent it out on the streets or in my room. Come, I'll show you

my place." She indicated him to follow her and then hurried along the dingy corridor into a

tiny room that contained a bed, a messy heap of clothes and a stack of books. "I love reading."

"Who taught you?" "No one. You've seen those notice boards in the city centre? They also read

out the news. I listened to the speaker as I read along, until had memorized which letter

expressed which sound." 'Impressive.' He took a look around, but there were no other

possessions.

"Did you come here alone?" "Yes. It is customary for the oldest child in a Athreli family to go

to the city as soon a they turn five. To get an education, and then return an teach their

younger siblings." "What happened?" Kaliya smiled almost apologetically. "You mean, why do I

live here instead of attending school? The war changed everything. The Majority joined the

Separatists very early on. My people didn't agree with their goals, but we were eager to prove

ourselves, show the Hedolans that we weren't badly integrated immigrants. The Majority

leaders...they exploited that, they refused any official posts to Athreli applicants because

they wanted them to fill up their army's ranks. And they turned me away when I tried to go to

school." "What about your family?" The girl looked away, but her voice remained steady. "They

are dead. The village was destroyed in an air raid two years ago." Suddenly, she stared deeply

into Anakin's eyes. "Thanks for ending this war. That's the only thing I know about the Jedi,

that they ended this slaughter for good." "Would you like to become a Jedi?" "Me? Are you

kidding? How could I possibly to that?" "You clearly have a strong grounding in the Force."

"The Mistress would never allow me to leave." She shrugged. "Let's at least ask her." "Sure,

Master Skywalker. I don't think that'll help, though."

'I hope Obi-Wan has softened her up a bit.'

-----

Jeralla had asked for a quite exorbitant sum in compensation, but the Jedi persuaded her to

provide one of the street girls with a shelter. Kaliya had left her books and clothes behind

and was trailing after the two men, a genuine smile on her face that made her sharp features

appear more childlike. They were passing a run-down pawnshop when the Athrelian quietly

addressed them. "Masters, um, I feel bad about asking you for something after all you've done

for me. I pawned something I got from my parents and it just..." Obi-Wan patted her shoulder

reassuringly. "You're not indebted to us. We are here to help." "Thanks, Master Kenobi." They

got ready to enter the shop, but Kaliya stopped them in their tracks. "I'm not sure this is a

good idea. The owner is infamous for his short temper." "All the more reason to make sure you

don't get into trouble. We won't attract any attention, don't worry." The girl nodded

appreciatively and pushed the door open.

"Ah, little one, let's see what you have this time." "Actually, I'd like to get something back.

The jar I gave you three years ago." The brutish man leaned over the counter, bringing his face

close to hers. "Can you pay for it?" Silently, she handed him several credit chips. The

shopowner broke out in laughter. When he had calmed down, he snarled, "well, that's not enough,

girl, the interest level has gone up recently." "What?! You're a fraud!" The Jedi, who had

pretended to be customers, were watching the scene alertly. "But-", the shop owner's face was now

threatening close, Kaliya felt nausea rise in her throat, "I know a way you could repay me."

His malicious grin turned his face into an even more ridiculous grimace. The girl backed away.

"No. You will give me the jar." She clenched her hands into fists, repeating her words. The man

looked dumbfounded for a moment, then reached under the counter and placed the jar on the table

with a loud thud. Skywalker and Kenobi exchanged astonished glances.


	5. No need for Continuity

_Author's Note: This story will be mainly about the two original characters I introduced, Kaliya _

_and Radha. Its scope will bear some resemblance to the Jedi Apprentice series, but I focus on _

_the larger picture. There will be quite a few dark twists, this story is vaguely anti-Jedi. And _

_AU, of course. I promise, you will find out what exactly happened between the fight in_

_Palpatine's office and the trip to Hedola. I say...patience._

**Chapter 5 - No need for Continuity**

"Her name's Kaliya Neen. Eight years old, a member of the Athrelian race." A female Twi'lek

master spoke up. "She might be a bit too old to start her training. She could have formed deep attachments by now."

"She is an orphan, Master Secura, and grew up in a very rough environment. She hasn't formed any attachments."

"In that case, no problems her age should pose. Bring her to temple, you should." "We are already on our

way, Master Yoda." "Yes, we should be there in three hours unless Anakin takes any detours

again." "You know I didn't do that on purpose, Obi-Wan. The storm-" The older Jedi sighed.

'Always ready for a quarrel.' "...we request your presence at the next Council meeting,

Masters." With that, the holographs flickered off.

Obi-Wan went to back of the ship to check on the girl. He found her curled up next to one of

the bunks, fast asleep. When lifted her from the floor to , she woke up with a jolt. "Why did

you sleep on the floor?" Kaliya hid her embarrassment behind a smile. "The bed was too soft. I

couldn't sleep. In our village, only the elders had proper beds, the older children and

unmarried adults slept on rugs." "Do you miss your family?" "Actually, I hardly remember them.

The past three years were so...overwhelming. Am I a bad person because I don't really miss

them?" "Not at all. It's important to be able to let go." Obi-Wan sat down next to her. "Will I

really become a Jedi?" "Yes. The council gave their approval. In fact, your training will start

directly after our arrival." "I promise to study as diligently as possible." "Have you ever

consciously felt the Force?" "I guess so. I think it saved my life." He gave her an encouraging

nod, urging her to continue. "I didn't work for Jeralla all the time. My parents had given me

some money, to pay for the school fees, but when I arrived in the capital, I had already used

up most of it, to pay for transportation and stuff. The school official cheated me out of the

rest of my belongings, so I needed to find work to make sure I don't starve to death. I didn't

want to end up like the thousands of Athrelian girls prostituting their bodies and their souls,

which is why I signed up to become a miner. There were lots of children, mostly Hedolian

orphans and runaways, though. But we didn't care about race, we suffered the same regardless of

whether we were human or not. The mine owners gave us some food and a place to sleep, but we

were expected to work like 15 hours a day in the narrow mine shafts, looking for valuable

crystals. Few lasted longer than three months. Some suffocated or were crushed, but most left,

taking to stealing or prostitution instead. After about five months, they decided to send a

small group of us even deeper into the mines. Suddenly, I felt something really strange, like a

warning. I tried to convince the others to leave with me, but they were too scared of the

beatings they'd receive for disobeying. I...I ran away. Dozens of children died that day when

the mine collapsed in an explosion." "I'm sorry." "I feel like a coward." "You were very young

and scared, it was a natural thing to do. Live in the moment, not the past. Besides, suicide is

not the Jedi way." Kaliya sighed. After a moment's silence, Obi-Wan continued. "You used the

Force to persuade the pawnbroker, didn't you?" "He tried to scam me. I knew it was the only way

to get the jar back." "Have you ever used this technique before?" "Yes, but not to cheat

anybody, please, Master, don't think that." "You'll have to learn to use these Force powers

responsibly, though." "Of course." "Would you tell me what that jar means to you?" "Sure. It

was given to me by my parents when I left. Actually, it's a little earthenware casket.

Traditionally, a newly married couple would put a few seeds in a box and give it to the first

child to leave the home, as a symbol of continuity, and the child was supposed to plant the

seeds wherever he or she went."

"And you're going to do that?"

"No, I want to bury the casket somewhere. There's no family, no traditions to continue."


	6. A Fiery Trial

**Chapter 6 - A fiery trial**

_Two years later..._

"We shouldn't be doing this, Meta. It'll only get us into trouble. And who knows what awaits us out there."

"What are you afraid of? It's not like we're going out into the wilderness. Do you want Jonace to say we're cowards?"

"He already did."

"And now we have the chance to stop him make fun of us for good." Their hushed conversation ceased when they saw a fellow youngling turn into the corridor. Meta took his friend by the hand and pulled her towards the gardens.

Kaliya, who was still brooding over Master Drallig reprimanding her, paid little attention to the two apprentices. Lost in thoughts, she punched a button to open the door to the training room. There were only four other other pupils in the room. They had been talking agitatedly until her arrival, but now stared at her in alarm.

"Hey, Kaliya, still disappointed, aren't you?" one of them yelled, then broke out in derive laughter. She shot him a dismissing glance. "Drop it, Jonace. Did you bully Meta and Ka'lyss again?"

"Why would we?"

"You were talking about them."

"Rubbish."

"Is is the Jedi way to tell lies?"

"Now I get it - you really think you are better than us."

Another youngling chimed in: "Jonace is right! Why do you feel so protective towards the two Mon Cals? Heck, they are even older than you, they know what they're doing."

Jonace kicked his friends shin. "Shut up!"

Kaliya looked amused. "Well, do you know what you're doing, then?"

She turned to the others. "So, what trouble did you get them in this time?"

"They're always so timid and everything, so we told them to go to a bar in the city and bring back one of their business cards."

"And now they're really gone!" An orange-faced Togruta boy exclaimed.

"Who could have guessed they would actually fall for this," Jonace murmured, clearly enraged. Kaliya had heard enough. She turned around around on the spot and left the four boy to their quarrel, racking her mind where she'd last seen Meta and Ka'lyss.

"Why did you tell her, idiot?"

"I'm not sure. It...uh...it felt right at that time."

"Great, now she's gonna rat us out." Jonace shook his head angrily.

-----

'Where could they have gone? There are hundreds of bars in the city centre, they could be anywhere.' Kaliya pulled the hood of her robe deeper into her face as she sprinted along the street. Her clothes were already soaking wet, but she didn't care. She needed to find the two missing younglings before anyone noticed their absence – or hers. 'I should have told one of the masters about their disappearance. If anyone finds out I tried to find them myself, I'm dead meat. I mustn't be that selfish. They didn't mean any harm by it. Jonace and his friends have been bullying them for years. Subtle enough not to be noticed by the masters, effective enough to hurt Ka'lyss and Meta. How could they be this stupid? They should have known they were being set up. If I'd told anyone, I would not only have got Jonace into trouble, but the two Calamari as well. And have brought shame over the Bear Clan.' She stopped to glance into a brightly illuminated nightclub, hoping to spot her clanmates. 'Now I just got to find them.' She sighed. 'Easier said than done.' She leaned against a wall in a side-street, calming her mind and concentrating on the ever-flowing currents of the Force. She remembered Yoda's teachings - "Center yourself in the Force, you must. Like venturing into the storm, this is, to find refuge in its eye." When she'd let go of her exhaustion and worries, she sensed two familiar presences nearby. But there was something else – they seemed distressed. Kaliya snapped out of her meditation and, throwing her dripping wet hood back, ran towards her friends. She found them sheltered underneath an artificial palm tree.

"Kaliya, what are you doing here?" Meta's lips were trembling, but the girl wasn't sure whether it because of the cold or his rising panic.

"I should be the one asking you this. How can you be so stupid, acting upon Jonace's taunts? You need to come back with me."

Ka'lyss fiercely shook her head. "We can't we've come this far already. We just have to get one of those business cards."

"No, Jonace wasn't even serious about...wait, where are you going?!" The young Mon Calamari suddenly jumped out and charged across the street, towards a fishy-looking bar.

"Oh, blast." Kaliya grabbed Meta's arm and dragged him along. Ka'lyss pointed at an inconspicuous manhole cover clove to the club, her face blushed with excitement.

"I found a way in!"

"Are you mad? Going into the underbelly of Coruscant..."

"But this will really prove that we are worthy, that we aren't cowards!" Kaliya shook her head angrily. The things people were prepared to to in order to gain recognition...and more often than not, they brought about their own downfall. Before she could stop them, the younglings had already climbed down into the darkness.

**-----**

"We've been wading through mud for more than an hour. Face it, there's no way in." Kaliya had given up trying to persuade them to call this stupid stunt off.

"But there has to be one! The bar has to have a connection to the wastewater system!"

"Yeah, but unless you're smaller than a _sung-_bat, you won't be able to crawl through."

"Well," Meta hissed, "_We _didn't force you to come along."

"None of us should be here at all! We might get thrown out of the order for this. Look at us. Three Younglings covered in mud, trying to get into a nightclub. It's simply ridiculous."

"Go back to the temple then. You are younger than us, we don't need your help."

"Stop arguing, the two of you. I think I found a tunnel that leads into the building. We're standing right below it, and be pulling this lever we should -aaahhh!" A door opened below them, revealing a long tunnel.

Ka'lyss and her friends hit the floor with a sickening crack.

"Brilliant. However, this place doesn't look like the interior of a nightclub to me. I mean, I've never seen one from the inside, but it's kinda unlikely, don't you think-" Kaliya's rant was cut short by a pained groan.

"Shut it, I think my foot's broken."

"We need to get her to the Temple immediately, Kaliya, help me carry her."

"Do you have any idea where we are, exactly?" Tears were streaming down Ka'lyss' cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, teeth gritted.

"It's not your fault. I dragged you along, remember?" Meta tried to console her.

"Well, let's find a way out of here."

"I can't see anything." One of the Mon Calamari complained loudly.

Kaliya ignited her training sabre, bathing the surroundings in bright green light. "Sorry, forgot you can't see in the dark."

They walked along the dimly lit corridor, considerably slowed down by their friend's injury. They took turns carrying her. Suddenly, a high-pitched wailed echoed through the underground

"That didn't sound good..."

"Cover!"

An enormous bat-like creature flew over them, landing a few metres in front of them. It launched forward, digging its teeth into Meta's robe, which caused him to fall over, Ka'lyss along with him. Kaliya charged at the aggressive creature, creating a distraction.

"Meta, get up and run, there's a junction directly ahead, I will fend this thing off until the two of you are in safety. It's to big to get into the smaller tunnels."

"What about you?" The bat attacked, missing the girl by hair's breadth.

"Hurry!" Kaliya knew that her lightsabre wouldn't inflict any damage on the creature, training weapons were not designed to cause injuries, for safety reasons. 'Clearly, whoever defined the term "safety" - that's not what he had in mind.' She stretched out her hand and, before the bat was able to take a bit, it was pushed back by the force, toppling over. Kaliya seized the opportunity and ran past it, trying to bring distance between her and the creature. Seeing that the Mon Calamari had reached the junction, she concentrated and slammed the bat into the wall. Coming to her aid, Meta ignited his own sabre. The light blinded the beast, that had dwelt in darkness for years, causing it to panic and fly into the wall, repeatedly, until it collapsed.

"Great, one threat less..." Her voice trailed off. The floor was shaking and, with a deafening noise, slowly gave in. The tunnel disintegrated, threatening to crash into the abyss below, dragging the three children down as well. Kaliya and Meta jumped forward, clasping a kind of rail attached just above the opening. The dark cavern was rocked by an explosion when tunnel crashed into fuel barrels stored underground.

"Can't...hold...on much...longer," Meta gasped. "Where's Ka'lyss?"

"She's safe, her part of the tunnel didn't collapse." The boy was closest to the junction.

"Meta, can you pull yourself into the tunnel?"

"No, it's too slippery."

"Take my hand," Ka'lyss offered, but she wasn't strong enough to pull him up all the way. Impatiently, Kaliya shoved his body in using a force push.

"Ouch! That wasn't necessary," he complained. All of a sudden, the fire that was raging below flared up to where the boy had been moments ago, igniting the oil-covered handrail.

"I like to think it was."

"Kaliya, watch out!"

"Get out of here, before your part of the tunnel collapses as well. I will have to find another exit." The Athrelian let go of the rail, dropping one level lower. The fire was ravaging below.

"Okay, let's try not to end up as grilled bat food." She concentrated to increase her awareness, mentally investigating her surroundings. 'This must have been a kind of warehouse. So there has to be an emergency exit, leading directly to the surface.' Kaliya looked around to find a safe path through the fire.

She was already halfway through the room, when another barrel exploded, creating a huge flame that was blazing relentlessly towards her. The girl barely had time to curl up and stretch out a hand.

When she opened her eyes seconds later, she was amazed to be still alive. Then her gaze fell on her hands. They were seared, the skin completely charred, the necrotic tissue hanging off her flesh like leaves of charcoal. She didn't feel any pain however.

'What happened? Shouldn't I be dead, and not just have my skin come off. You know, Force, I'm not complaining, but...' She got up, trying not to touch anything with her hands and telekinetically opened the door at the other end of the room. 'This isn't going to help me climb up the ladder, though.' She gingerly touched the hot iron, quickly retracting her hand in pain. A small piece of burnt skin was still sticking on the run of the ladder. Kaliya, who was still breathing heavily, closed her eyes, allowing the Force flow through her body, then grabbed the run again and started pulling herself up.

**-----**

Panting, she collapsed on the street, staring up into the dimly lit sky over Coruscant. The pain was numbing her senses, so she didn't notice the group of people approaching.

"Kaliya." The man's voice was stern, but filled with relief.

"Master Windu. I'm sorry." The girl stuttered, still overwhelmed be the pain.

"What made you do this? Have you forgotten that Younglings don't have permission to leave the Temple premises?" Kaliya tried to get up, but her arms were to feeble to support her.

"It wasn't my idea!"

"Whose was it, then?"

Another Jedi knelt next to her. "Master, she needs immediate medical care. She has second and third degrees burns on her hands. She will need grafting."

When the healer lifted her up, the Athrelian girl took a look around. Her Mon Calamari friends weren't there.

"Masters, Meta and Ka'lyss, are they ok?"

"They arrived at the Temple approximately one hour ago. They already told us what happened. You shouldn't have taken matters into your own hands."

"I know, Master Windu." She sighed. "I just didn't want to get them into trouble."

"By doing so, you put yourself into great danger. From the looks of it, you're lucky to have survived. We cannot take your disobedience lightly."  
"I see...", Kaliya whispered as she closed her eyes.


	7. How to Smash Training Droids

**Chapter 7 - How to Smash Training Droids**

"And that's it for today. Practise all the Form II katas you've learned so far until the next lesson", a female Jedi Master announced loudly, almost yelling to drown out the noise of dozens of lightsabres being deactivated. One by one, the Younglings filed out of the room. Kaliya collapsed onto the lawn, clearly disgruntled. A tall Zabrak boy sat down next to her, poking her with a twig in an attempt to cheer her up. His skin was a reddish brown, contrasted by clear blue eyes, a rare occurrence for his race.

"Don't take it to heart."

"Are you stupid? In a real combat situation, I'd be dead within seconds. And you tell me it doesn't matter that I'm too clumsy to reflect a single blaster shot?"

He laughed, but seeing the expression on his friend's face, fell silent immediately.

"That's not true. I watched you. You did reflect quite a few shots."

"Yeah, but not all of them. I really suck when it comes to this exercise."

"Yet you're better than most with a sabre. Shielding yourself against blaster shots is very different from a fight with a lightsabre-wielding opponent."  
"Don't lecture me."

"I AM older than you, so I know a little more, naturally."  
"Did you miss Yoda's class about virtues? Being humble, does that ring a bell, Relarn?"  
He punched her playfully on the shoulder."I have an idea that will cheer you up. See you after dinner in training room C." Relarn hurried off.  
"What for? Hey, wait!" 'It's always the same with him.' The Athrelian girl thought with a slight grin.

Kaliya pushed the heavy door open with a well-placed kick, wondering As she walked around the room, which seems more like a warehouse than an actual training room, she scanned the surroundings for her friend. "Relarn? Are you in here?" She could sense his presence, but the boy was nowhere to be seen.

"Look what I've got you!" Startled, she spun around and spotted her friend walking out of a corner.

"Training droids?"

"Exactly. Practise makes perfect, right? I thought you'd appreciate another training opportunity."  
"Always a renegade...You do know that we're not supposed to take those droids – Master Yoda is not going to be pleased."

"Why would we tell anybody?"

Kaliya shrugged. "Well, if you put it that way...At least I know now why we're using Room C. " A grateful smile spread over her face.

"By the way, reconfigured them a little. They'll stun you for a few seconds instead of giving you bruises."

"Oh, great." She got into attack stance and concentrated on the five droids before her. "Let's start."

----

"You've made great progress, Kaliya. You're really quick on the uptake. I told you, it would only take a few days."  
"Yeah, I haven't missed a single shot for more than an hour or so. But...you just reminded me, why don't you practise deflecting the blaster shots? Think you're perfect already?" Kaliya loved to tease him.

"Nope. How about increasing the frequency so that we can fight these machines together?"  
"Sounds good. You will have to do the reconfiguration though."  
"I've always wondered why you don't like electronics. Are you afraid or something?"  
"Not at all. It's just...you kinda grew up with this stuff. It's all new to me."

"That self-depreciating manner of yours is absolutely ridiculous. You could be top of the class in all subjects if it wasn't for your insecurity." Relarn's voice took on a reprimanding tone.  
"And defiance for the rules. And refusal to learn stuff by heart." Kaliya shrugged.

The Zabrak finished tweaking the droids and hit one of the dozens of buttons.

"Now we've just gotta wait until they're in sync." The machine Relarn had worked on started beeping. "Here we go."

They had been swirling around for , jumping across the whole room and deflecting shots as they went. Of all sudden, Relarn dropped on the floor, apparently hit. His friend paid little attention, expecting him to get up again quickly. Nevertheless, she positioned herself in front of him to give him cover. The droids were closing in as the two younglings had agreed not to deflect the bolts back at them so they wouldn't get destroyed too quickly. It was not until there had been no movement from Relarn whatsoever for several minutes that his friend began to worry. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her and Kaliya realized that she wouldn't be able to stand her ground against the relentless firing of the droids for long, so she made a decision. Grasping the hilt of the sabre tightly, she charged forward.

-------------

"Master Offee?" Kaliya watched the healer, her face scrunched up in a worried expression. "Is he going to be ok?"

The Mirialan shrugged. "Eventually, yes. He most likely suffered a concussion. Now, if only you'd tell me what happened, I could heal him much more efficiently." Her voice was an indication that she was annoyed about the youngling's secretive behaviour. Kaliya kept her lips pursed together, not taking her eyes off her injured best friend.

"Look, if you were sparring...well, you're not in trouble, despite what you might think. Things like that happen all the time." Master Offee continued. The girl in front of her, so she assumed she had found out what Kaliya had been too ashamed to admit.

"Don't worry, then. You're still students, don't expect every fight to go smoothly. Just be more considerate next time."

Kaliya nodded. She hurried out of the infirmary in order to clean up the debris in the training before, only to run into Master Windu, who stood in the door with a stern look on his face.

"Oh! I mean, sorry, Master..." He didn't step aside, still looking at her disapprovingly.

'Force, why...Relarn, you always get me into trouble. Added to my own mistakes, it's more than I can handle. Windu's not gonna be happy..." Kaliya's voice was reduced to a mere whisper when she finally spoke up. "I guess I have some explaining to do."

"Indeed." Windu nodded gravely.

_A/N: A very short chapter, but it sheds light on the deep friendship between Kaliya and Relarn, and her insecurity._


End file.
